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An image released by the Jordanian Armed Forces on 5 February shows one of its F-16s preparing to take off with a Sniper pod and unguided bombs. Source: JAF

The Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) is set to get 10 more Lockheed Martin AN/AAQ-33 Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods under a USD8.9 million contract announced by the US Department of Defense (DoD) on 27 March.

The Sniper pods were the ones fitted to UK Royal Air Force (RAF) Harrier GR.9 ground-attack aircraft under an urgent operational requirement to give them the capability to designate targets for their Paveway IV laser-guided bombs to support operations in Afghanistan.

The pods became surplus to the RAF's requirements after it retired its Harriers in 2010 as it uses the Rafael Litening III pod on its Tornado and Typhoon jets.

The DoD said that the Lockheed Martin contract to integrate the pods on the RJAF's F-16s is expected to be completed by 27 November 2016.